Pastry Chef Melissa's signature Banana Bread is a staple at Santé, the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa's restaurant. Her addition of the divine espresso peanut butter takes it to the next level. This is a heartier and more elevated style banana bread that stands up to the change of seasons, whether you serve it as breakfast, a snack cake or dessert.
Yield: 6 small loaves
Prep time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Total time: 4 hours
Difficulty Level: Medium
INGREDIENTS
- 4 cups mashed banana
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup grapeseed oil
- ¾ cup + 1 Tbsp buttermilk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 4¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 4 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp baking soda1 ½ tsp Morton's salt or 1 Tbsp Diamond Crystal
For the espresso peanut butter:
- ¾ cup peanut butter
- 7 Tbsp butter
- 1 Tbsp honey
- 1 tsp ground espresso beans
- Pinch of salt
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 325°F.
- Prepare 6 – 3” X 5” mini loaf pans by spraying with a non-stick cooking spray.
- In an electric mixer attached with a paddle, cream the banana, sugar, and brown sugar on medium speed for 3 minutes.
- Add the eggs and mix for an additional 3 minutes on medium speed
- Add the oil, buttermilk, vanilla extract and mix till combined, scraping the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula and mix for 1 minute.
- Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix to combine scraping the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula and mix for 1 minute. Do not over-mix.
- Divide the batter evenly between the 6 loaf pans and bake for 30-40 minutes or until an internal temperature of 200°F is achieved. Piercing with a skewer can also check for doneness, when the skewer comes out clean with no signs of liquid batter.
- Remove from oven and let cool for 20 minutes.
- Remove from pans while still warm and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Slice the banana bread into desired thickness and pan fry both sides in a little bit of butter on medium high heat. Serve warm with Espresso Peanut Butter.
